Statewide advancement to Phase 2 may occur on, but not before, June 1 if the risk assessment is satisfactory to public health officials. Phase 2 permits outdoor recreation, manufacturing, construction, domestic services, retail, real estate, professional services, nail salons, barbers, pet grooming, and restaurants (all with strict safety measures). Each phase will last for a minimum of 3 weeks.

Business activity guidance for all Phase 1 activities and several Phase 2 activities (retail, manufacturing, dine-in restaurants, taverns) has been posted online. Review Phase 1 and Phase 2 Business Activity Guidelines on the Governor’s Website.

New Contact Tracing Initiative Announced

A trained team will conduct voluntary interviews to slow the spread of the virus.

The contact tracing program may be of special note to restaurants. Under Phase 2 guidance, restaurants that offer table service must maintain a daily log of customers, their check-in time, and their contact information to facilitate contact tracing. Review the Contact Tracing Announcement on the Governor Inslee’s Medium page.

Fraudulent Unemployment Claims On the Rise

The Employment Security Department (ESD) warns of fraudulent strategies that exploit the pandemic.

There are reports of a national surge in fraudulent unemployment claims. ESD’s Office of Special Investigations warns of a dramatic rise in imposter fraud in Washington State.

Imposter fraud includes false claims filed with stolen personal information. There are reports of fake websites designed to steal personal information. ESD does not request sensitive information outside of their official, secure website. Any site that requests confidential information should be treated with suspicion.

Victims of identity theft should report to the IRS:

ESD Commits to Operation 100%

ESD has paid out over $2 billion in benefits to more than half a million Washingtonians since the crisis began. This money is feeding families and paying bills for many, but ESD acknowledges that 57,000 applicants are still waiting for their claims to be reviewed.

ESD’s objective is to provide relief to all eligible Washingtonians. The Department has launched Operation 100%, their plan to accelerate processing and quickly distribute benefits to those eligible.

The plan involves rapid hiring of staff, new technology, and triage of phone traffic. ESD’s top priority is to clear the backlog. ESD will also email another 187,000 eligible individuals that have tasks to complete before claims can be processed.

The objectives of Operation 100% are to make substantially reduce the backlog by late May, and to have 100% of the backlog resolved or paid by mid-June. Washington can observe the progress of Operation 100% on ESD’s website.

ESD to Temporarily Limit Inbound Calls to Focus on Backlog

ESD to limit calls May 13-19 to prioritize backlog of applications with complex claims.

These hotspots will typically be staged in parking lots at central locations statewide, including a number of rural sites. Some sites may offer limited indoor public access with social distancing and hygiene rules in place.

Broadband equity is not just a rural challenge. The hotspot project supports underserved and economically disadvantaged communities in urban and suburban areas as well.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is shining a light on what was already a challenge for the state – delivering broadband connectivity to all Washington citizens and businesses. This crisis has highlighted broadband not as a luxury, but as critical infrastructure for all,” said Washington State Broadband Office Director Russ Elliott.

CARES Act Funding to Support Local Governments

State Department of Commerce to distribute $300 Million in federal CARES Act funds to local governments.